The Ultimate Sacrifice
by Lily1986
Summary: Clark Kent gets a surprised visitor on Christmas Eve who tells him he has to make a big decision. One that could make him lose everything he's ever wanted. Can he make the sacrifice to preserve his destiny? ONE SHOT!


**A.N: **This is my entry for the secret Santa I did over at Divine Intervention. Thought I'd post it here too... =}

**The Ultimate Sacrifice**

Clark dusted his hands and looked at the tree he'd just set up in the foyer of his house smiling. Thanksgiving had passed by in a blur; and this Christmas was going to be even more special. He and Lois were finally on the same page, together. He adjusted the Christmas tree to stand in front of the window and sighed. The phone ringing distracted him. He gave one last look at the tree and picked up the house phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Smallville, at what time are we supposed to be there again?"

He smiled.

"Well, the tree's looking a little bare; you might want to get here earlier."

"Clark", she groaned, "I told you we don't need a tree…"

"Of course we do Lois, its Christmas."

"You're too much, Smallville", she answered smirking, "I'll be there in twenty minutes… do you need anything?"

"Nope", he shook his head, "Everything's out of the attic. I just need you here…"

"Cute Smallville", she laughed, "I'll see you soon."

He hung up the phone with a goofy grin on his face. He walked back to the tree and centered it in front of the window.

"There", he said, "Perfect."

Clark super sped to the attic bringing down boxes full of Christmas ornaments and set them all over the living room. He nodded and smiled.

He looked up when there was a knock on the door and walked over to it. Smiling, he opened the door.

"Lois, I thought you said twenty minutes…"

"Hello Kal."

"Rokk", Clark greeted surprised, "How… what… what are you doing here?"

"We need to talk."

***

Clark sat on the couch with his hands folded in front of him.

"What are you saying", he asked looking up in confusion.

"The future is changed", Rokk sigh shaking his head, "This wasn't supposed to happen… I'm so sorry Kal-El."

"What if… what if this is how it should have been all along", Clark asked, "What if it was supposed to happen this way?"

"It wasn't", Rokk said, "Lois shouldn't have met you when she did, much less fallen in love with you when she did…"

"But…"

"You remember how I told you we'd heard of her", Rokk asked eliciting a nod from Clark, "Well, now… there's no record of her."

"How do you remember her?"

"It must have happened while I was in the past the last time", Rokk shook his head, "When I gave you the ring…"

"That sent Lois to the future", Clark nodded.

"Yeah", Rokk nodded, "She wasn't supposed to be there. You weren't supposed to disappear. She wasn't supposed to be a reason for you to come back."

"Why is this wrong?"

"Because, in my world you and Lois were iconic, amazing together."

"And now?"

"You… went your separate ways."

"I wouldn't let that happen… Lois is… I mean I…"

"I know how you feel about her…"

"You're asking me to let go of the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, Rokk, I don't think I can do that…"

"I'm asking you to let her go for now… so you can fulfill your respective destinies."

Clark shook his head and stood up walking to the fireplace. He put his hand on the ledge and stared at a framed photo from his senior year. He was giving Lois a half hug and she was smiling brightly but rolling her eyes at him. He smiled sadly.

"How do I know you're right?"

"You know I am", Rokk said, "You need to let her go Kal…"

"Break up with her you mean", Clark shook his head.

"No", Rokk said softly holding out a Legion ring, "Go back to before the moment she fell in love with you…"

"How am I supposed to know that?"

"Lois Lane and Clark Kent are not supposed to have met when they did", Rokk said.

"Senior year", Clark nodded, "All of it… you want me to erase all of it?"

Rokk lowered his gaze.

"Do you even know what you're asking of me?"

"The ultimate Sacrifice", Rokk nodded.

Clark felt his jaw twitch. He looked at the clock and felt a tear slide down his face.

"Kal…"

He shook his head. Rokk held his hand out to him with the ring in his palm.

Clark stared at it for what felt like an eternity. Rokk was the voice of the future. Something is going to happen sometime down the road that is going to ruin Lois and him and he knew he'd do anything to stop it. But did anything mean giving up the first ounce of true happiness he'd ever felt and the best friend he'd ever known.

Clark took the ring in his hand and nodded.

"I know what I have to do now", he said softly and looked into Rokk's eyes, "But it has to be after Christmas… I need to… I have to…"

"I understand", Rokk nodded sadly, "I'm sorry Kal-El… I wish… it didn't have to be this way."

Clark watched as he nodded a goodbye and walked out the front door. He looked out the window and saw him disappear with his head lowered in shame to a future that was as uncertain as the present.

***

Clark was sitting on the island in his kitchen staring at the Legion ring when Lois walked through the door.

"Smallville?"

He looked up and quickly pocketed the ring before she saw it and turned smiling.

"Hey there you are", she said putting her bag down.

They were still in the awkward first stages of a new relationship. She smiled and walked up to him giving him a chaste kiss on the lips. She pulled away grinning and Clark couldn't help it. He cupped her face and pulled her flush against him kissing her deeply. Lois wound her arms around his neck and he dropped his to her waist. He angled his face and deepened the kiss. Lois pulled away first and smiled cheekily.

"Now that's what I call a hello", she grinned, "You ready to work…"

He stared at her for moment, lost in her eyes.

"Smallville", she called out softly, "You okay?"

"Yeah", he nodded, "I'm fine… let's get started."

She smiled and took his hand leading him to the living room and stood in front of the tree.

"Clark, this is beautiful", she smiled at him, "Thank you…"

He shrugged.

"It's our first Christmas together", he said, "I wanted it to be special…"

"It is", she nodded and turned back to the tree, admiring it.

Clark smiled sadly.

***

Lois watched him quietly. They'd been working nonstop on the tree for an hour and Clark hadn't said a word. She wouldn't find that weird, except he wasn't smiling either. Clark always smiled around Christmas. It was his favorite holiday.

"Smallville", she called out softly and frowned when he didn't answer, "Smallville…"

He looked up at her distracted, "Hmm?"

"You okay", she asked quietly.

"Yeah… yeah I'm good", he cleared his throat, "You want something? Eggnog?"

"No", she shook her head, "I'm good…"

"I can use some", he smiled tightly and left her to go to the kitchen.

Lois sighed and dropped the lights before following him.

"Okay, talk to me", she said, "What's going on?"

"Nothing-"

"Clark, it's me… I know you better than anyone, remember", she asked, "Just tell me… please…"

He sighed and looked at her sadly.

"I have to tell you something…"

"Okay", she nodded, "I have a feeling it's not about the tree though…"

"It's not", he said shaking his head, "It's about us…"

"Oh", she dragged the word out and took a deep breath, "I think understand…"

She nodded and turned around picking up her bag.

"You don't have to explain", she said walking toward the door.

"Lois…"

"It's okay, Clark…"

"Lois…"

"In fact, I know I understand", she bit her lip to hold back the tears.

"Lois", he said sternly grabbing her hand before she got to the door, "No you don't…"

She looked up at him.

"Then tell me…"

"Lois… I-"

"Merry Christmas!"

They both turned to the door and replaced their frowns with smiles when they saw Martha Kent standing on the other side of the screen door. Clark dropped her hand instantly and Lois frowned again. She quickly recovered and smiled brightly.

"Mrs. Kent!"

She walked toward her and hugged her tightly.

"Lois", Martha smiled looking over the young woman's shoulder at her son.

Lois pulled from the embrace and Martha hugged Clark tightly to her.

"Am I early", she asked shaking off her coat.

"Right on time", Lois smiled taking Martha's coat and hanging it, "We're just putting up the lights…"

"Great", Martha said, "Is Chloe on her way?"

"She'll be here later with Oliver", Lois answered, "They were working at the office she said…"

"Oh alright", Martha smiled, "Clark, can you get my bags from the car… Lois and I have to catch up…"

"Sure mom", Clark mumbled walking out and leaving the two women alone.

Lois watched him walk away and turned back to Martha who was grinning at her.

"What", she asked.

"Come here", Martha said wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "I think it's time for some overdue girl talk…"

Lois smiled sadly.

"I think you may be right."

"Want to tell me what's wrong?"

"It's just…"

Martha watched her.

"It's Clark", Lois finished, "Things were going real good. And when I talked to him on the phone he seemed okay… normal. Then I got here and he was brooding… I thought he was just missing his dad… but it's more than that… it's like he doesn't want me to be here."

"Lois…"

"And add that to the fact that it feels like he's trying to break up with me…"

"Break up?"

"Oh… crap. I'm sorry Mrs. Kent… Clark and I were supposed to tell you together… damn it."

Martha was smirking.

"What", Lois asked slowly.

"Just that", Martha smiled, "I expected this…"

"Clark and I to be arguing?"

"Clark and you to be together", Martha corrected.

"Really", Lois asked.

"I knew it from the moment I walked in on you two showering…"

"We weren't…"

"You know what I mean", Martha smirked and winked.

Lois blushed.

"Well, now he's acting-"

Clark's abrupt entrance cut her off.

"Everything's inside", he said to no one in particular.

Lois turned from him to Martha.

"Thank you, Clark", Martha smiled at her son, "Lois and I are going to get started on dinner… why don't you finish the decorations."

"Sure", he mumbled walking back into the living room.

"See what I mean", Lois whispered.

Martha nodded, understanding.

***

Clark sat down by the windowsill near the tree watching her. He held his glass tightly and took a deep breath lowering his gaze into the drink in front of him.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

He looked up and smiled.

"Hey, mom."

"Honey", Martha said softly sitting down next to him, "What's going on?"

"Nothin-"

"Clark", she stressed.

"It's Lois", he said softly, "I…"

He looked up and saw her laughing with Chloe and Oliver and he lowered his gaze sadly.

"She told me", Martha said nodding.

"She did", he snapped his neck to her.

"Lois is like a daughter to me, Clark, of course she told me…"

He smirked.

"What she didn't tell me is what's wrong with you", Martha said, "But that's probably because she doesn't know herself."

He nodded.

"I got a visitor today", he started slowly, "From the future…"

"Are you sure", Martha asked.

"Yeah", he nodded, "I know him. He's come back to the past before to help me."

"Wow", Martha nodded, "A lot's happened since I left…"

Clark nodded his lip twitching.

"Well, what did he say?"

"He told me that I need to rewrite the past."

"Rewrite the past?"

"Make it that Lois never met me", Clark said softly.

"Clark", Martha said softly.

He turned to her, "I don't know what to do mom… I've never felt this way before. For the first time, its real… and I'm losing it."

"Honey", she soothed rubbing his back, "When do you have to decide?"

"Decide?"

"Decide to change it", she clarified.

He didn't answer her and stared ahead at the woman in question.

"You've already decided", Martha said understanding, "You're going to go back."

"I have to", Clark said softly, "I don't have a choice."

"Clark, we always have a choice", Martha said.

"Not this time-"

"Every time", she strained, "Clark, you had a choice to live on this farm the rest of your life hiding your abilities from the world, and instead you chose to do something with them. To save people. To be a hero. That's a choice you made. It wasn't made for you."

"It's my destiny…"

"Destiny can only take you so far", she shook her head, "When you get there it's up to you to make it happen."

His smiled softly.

"Talk to her", Martha said looking over at Lois sipping eggnog and smiling at something Chloe was saying, "Don't underestimate the woman you've chosen to give your heart to. She might surprise you."

"I don't want to hurt her."

"I know", she nodded, "But you already are…. By not talking to her."

Clark looked to Lois again. She was gliding across the floor smiling at guests. He smiled and then turned to his mom.

"Thanks", he said softly, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

"You're my son", she smiled rubbing his back soothingly, "That's what I'm here for."

He smiled again before standing up to follow Lois.

"So", Chloe plumped down next to Martha, "How's it feel to be back?"

Martha grinned nostalgically searching out her son in the crowd, "Like I never left…"

Chloe scrunched her face up in confusion and smiled.

***

Lois poured some more eggnog into her cup and took a sip.

"Can we talk?"

She stilled at the voice behind her and turned around slowly. He was standing there with his hands inside his pockets and his eyes looking straight into hers.

"Yeah", she nodded putting the cup on the island.

His lip twitched upward and he took her hand in his. She watched their joined hands and smiled softly at the feel of his hands tightening around hers.

"Come on", he said softly leading her outside.

"Clark", she called out, "It's freezing."

He wrapped an arm around her and grinned, "I'll keep you warm."

She bit her lip and smiled at the warmth that instantly filled her. He led her to the barn and up the steps to his loft. She looked at him curiously when he stood in front of the giant window with his back to her.

He turned around and stretched his hand to her, "I want to show you something…"

She took the offered hand and he pulled her close wrapping his arms around her from behind and leaning his head on her shoulder. She leaned back against him and breathed in deeply.

He lifted her hand in his and pointed upward to a specific place in the sky.

"Do you see that", he asked huskily in her ear.

"The stars", she asked leaning back to look at his face.

"No", he laughed softly, "There. A space between the two stars…"

"Yeah", she sighed, "What is it?"

"It's where I'm from?"

Lois giggled.

"Right", she laughed, "You're from a black hole… Good one Smallville…"

He turned her around slowly and lifted her arms so they went around his neck. He wound his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Lois, I'm not from around here", he said slowly, "When I was just a kid, my parents found me in a field next to a space ship…"

"Are you telling me you're an…"

"Alien", he finished.

"I was going to say intergalactic traveler", she shrugged, "Alien feels too racial."

He smirked.

"You're not running away screaming", it wasn't a question but a statement.

"Clark, why would I", she said leaning into him smiling, "Alien, Intergalactic traveler, farm boy… whatever… you're still the same Clark Kent I found naked in a corn field…"

He smiled.

"The planet was called Krypton", he continued, "It was destroyed when I was just a baby… so to save me my birth parents sent me to Earth."

"They sacrificed their lives to save you", she said.

He nodded pulling away.

"And now I'm about to make a sacrifice for them", he said softly turning away from her.

"Clark", she touched his back lightly.

Clark turned and captured her lips with his in a hurried kiss. He slipped his tongue inside her mouth hastily. He needed to feel her, to taste her. Lois moaned into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck playing with the hairs at the base.

He pulled away tugging on her bottom lip softly.

"Lois", he said his voice hoarse.

"Yeah", she asked breathing deeply.

"I love you", he said softly.

She smiled.

"Clark… I love you too…"

"I didn't want it to come to this", he shook his head pulling out the Legion ring.

"What is that", she asked.

"It's a ring", he said as he held it between his thumb and forefinger, "That's going to take me back in time…"

"For what?"

"To stop you from meeting me…"

"What?"

"I'm so sorry Lois…"

"Clark", she said softly watching him slip the ring on his finger.

"I love you, Lois… I needed you to know that…"

"Clark, wait-"

***

**December 24, 2015**

Clark dusted his hands as he walked into the bullpen. He'd just saved the orphanage on the other side of town from collapsing to the ground in a fire and now all the news media outlets were talking about Superman's latest save.

He sat down at his desk and leaned back relaxing. A pair of hands covered his eyes and he smiled.

"I recognize that heartbeat", he said smiling when he touched the hands and felt the familiar ring on the left hand.

"No fair, you used your powers…"

He lowered her hands and turned around smirking at his wife.

"I didn't realize powers were disqualified", he said.

"Well, they are", she groaned, "Congratulations on saving the orphanage... Are you going to write the story or should I because Perry was on my case about it since before Superman fled the scene…"

Clark leaned back and folded his hands across his stomach.

"You write it", he shrugged, "He just wants us to be the first to print it."

She nodded and clicked print on the computer.

"You already wrote it", he asked sitting up.

"Relax Clark, I gave you some cool quotes", she grinned.

"Isn't that unorthodox", he groaned.

She grinned, "Clark, the sooner I turn this print out to Perry the sooner we can get to you know where…"

Clark's lip twitched.

"Was that today", he asked, "Because I think I'm hearing a call for help…."

He was starting to stand up.

"Oh no you don't", she stopped him by sitting on his lap abruptly and leaning into him, "We're spending Christmas Eve uninterrupted at the Fortress and tomorrow morning at the farm… I don't care if the world is ending."

"Wow, this brings back memories", he wiggled his eyebrows.

Lois glared at him thinking to that lap dance she gave him once a long time ago.

"Shut up."

"Aye aye, Sailor", he grinned.

She glared at him.

"We said we'd never speak of that again, Mr. Kent."

"Actually, Mrs. Kent", he smirked, "You only threatened me to never mention it to anyone… bring it up to you every once in a while was not part of the deal…"

"Well, I'm writing it into the contract."

"You lost that window of opportunity years ago Lois", he shook his head rubbing her waist, "Besides, it was the best lap dance I'd ever gotten."

She winked and leaned in to kiss him softly.

"And don't you forget it, Smallville."

"I couldn't if I tried."

"No regrets", she asked suddenly.

"None", he whispered before cupping her face and kissing her.

"Lane! Kent!"

Clark pulled back and groaned.

"Is he calling you or both of us", he asked.

"Both of us", she smirked getting up and pulling him by his hand leading him toward Perry's office.

***

_**December 24, 2009**_

"_Clark, wait-"_

_He stopped and looked at her._

"_Don't do this", she said._

"_I have to…"_

"_No you don't…"_

"_Lois, something is off balance", he said quickly, "You weren't supposed to meet me when you did…"_

"_Maybe not", she said walking toward him and taking the ring from his hands, "But I wouldn't change that lightening storm for anything…"_

"_Lois-"_

_She placed a finger to his lips._

"_Clark, maybe we took a few wrong turns", she said placing the ring behind her on his desk, "And maybe we're going to take some more…"_

_He watched her carefully._

"_But regardless, I want to take that journey with you", she said cupping his face, "And only you…"_

_He placed his hands on her waist._

"_Clark, can you honestly tell me that this moment, right here, feels wrong", she asked._

_He shook his head slowly._

"_No", he said softly._

"_Good", she nodded, "Because neither can I."_

_She leaned in and kissed him softly. He pulled her flush against him and deepened the kiss. Lois smiled into the kiss before pulling away._

"_Whatever happens", she smiled, "Remember this moment… right here…"_

_He nodded and leaned in to kiss her again._

***

**December 24, 3009**

"Welcome back, Cosmic Boy", Brainiac 5 smiled, "Was the trip successful?"

Rokk grinned.

"I hope so Querl, otherwise we're in big trouble…"

"But you told him the world would end if he stayed with her…"

"Yeah", Rokk nodded.

"How do you know he won't take your advice?"

Rokk grinned.

"Because he _never _takes my advice…"

Garth walked in.

"Did you meet her", he asked excitedly.

"No", Rokk shook his head, "I missed her by a few."

"Man", Garth whined.

"Rokk, but how do we know he'll make the right decision", Imra asked.

"Some old doctrine I read about in the history books", Rokk shrugged, "Reverse psychology…"

"What's that", Querl asked.

"Apparently, if you want someone stubborn to do something, you have to tell them to do the opposite so they do what you really want them to do."

"But how will we know he did what he was supposed to do", Imra asked.

"I have faith in Kal-El", Rokk nodded.

"Still", Querl shook his head, "I can't help but feel that we dodged a major bullet here…"

"Well, either way", Rokk said, "I'm just thankful Lois Lane wouldn't give him up without a fight… they don't call her mad dog for nothing…"

Imra smiled.

She turned to the computer and pulled up the Daily Planet front page from 2012.

"Well, your plan worked", she smiled, "Lois Lane and Clark Kent were married December 24, 2012."

"I wonder why they chose Christmas Eve", Garth shrugged.

"December 24 must hold a special place in the fabric of time or something", Querl said tapping on a few keys.

Rokk smiled.

"I'm just happy that everything is back as it should be."


End file.
